REALITY CHECK: In a departure, Bongo’s fall ads, featuring 25-year-old Vanessa Hudgens, are completely unretouched and natural. This marks Hudgens’ second season as the face of Bongo, following in the footsteps of Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie, Rachel Bilson, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale and AnnaSophia Robb. The campaign images, shot by Marley Kate, will not be Photoshopped or airbrushed and will feature Hudgens as she appeared on set.
“The clothes make me feel carefree and confident, which is why I love that the final ad images are unretouched. It’s so important for girls to remember that real beauty shines from within, and I’m so proud that Bongo is choosing to send such as positive message with this campaign,” said Hudgens. The ads contain the copy, “100 percent all natural. Unretouched and unfiltered. This is the real Vanessa Hudgens.”
Dari Marder, chief marketing officer of Iconix Brand Group, noted, “We admire her confidence to go without retouching for this campaign and can’t wait for her fans to see how naturally beautiful she is. In the age of Instagram filters and Photoshop apps, it is more important than ever that Bongo remains committed to inspiring girls to feel comfortable in their own skin, and we are excited to be partnering with Vanessa to send that message with this campaign.”
Ads will break in August issues of such magazines as Teen Vogue, Seventeen and Cosmopolitan, and will also appear outdoor, online, on Bongo.com and shopyourway.com, and in Sears Holdings Corp. and Kmart marketing and in-store collaterals. Bongo is sold exclusively on shopyourway.com, and at Sears and Kmart stores, as well as their Web sites. The company’s budget is up 20 percent for back-to-school.
Hudgens will be making personal appearances on behalf of Bongo at Sears and Kmart and will also host events for the brand.